10

F our hours have passed since I stormed out of that party room, and I still can't get the look on her face out of my mind. The look on her face caused by my actions, by slamming the door and walking away. The look on her face because I left her. She didn't seem to understand the situation, and yet she still looked pained at my implied rejection. I didn't even speak to her. I don't even know her name.

I've demanded my men not speak her name. She was in such a hurry to leave, she managed to leave her press pass with her information on it behind, and Benny is hanging on to that at the moment. I don't want to know anything until I hear from the Elder. Benny did let me know that he tried to make sure she was okay before she panicked and ran away from them. Where did she go? Is she okay? My wolf is furious with me.

The Elder will be arriving any moment. She's one of the members that I had gone out of my way to find and bring back to the pack. No matter how much someone thought they knew, they never knew as much as the elder wolves who had lived through multiple millennia. This would be the first time I had to call on her in an official capacity.

As Matilda scurries past my doorway to open the front door, a small smile stretches across my face. I have a very soft spot for my little housekeeper. She's been with me for so long now I would do anything to make sure she was happy. So while my wolf and I are in turmoil over this situation, having an excuse to bring her sister to visit is just a bonus. They don't get to see each other as much since Matilda asked to join us in the city.

When I found Meredith, our eldest elder, she only promised to join our pack if I would bring her little sister with us. They'd always been together. Neither had found their fated mate or selected a chosen mate to have a family with. It's always just been the two of them, and who was I to separate them for selfish reasons when they could easily both come with us? It was an especially easy decision because, where Benny seemed to radiate sunshine, these two radiated kindness. They were the quintessential little old ladies, and everyone loved them.

Remembering why Meredith was here quickly pulled me from my happy thoughts, and the darkness resettled over me. I rose from my desk with a long sigh and made my way to greet her. "Thank you for arriving so quickly, Elder. I didn't know what to do," I say as I approach with my hand prepared for a handshake.

While the sisters might radiate kindness, they're still feisty and fiery in their old age. Meredith knocks my hand away while tsking and crooks her finger at me to come closer. Just as I move in and lean down enough for her to reach me, she wraps her arms around my shoulders and pats me on the back. Her hugs feel like hope, and I'm thankful she always insists everyone needs hugs.

She pulls away from me without releasing my shoulders and pushes my face back, assessing. "You're far too stressed. All those wrinkles. You're going to look older than me soon if you don't learn to lighten up," she chides in that sweet little voice of hers. "Come tell me what has you so bothered that you needed to speak in person."

"This is going to sound crazy, but . . ." I trail off for a moment, reliving all my emotions from mere hours ago. Feeling the mate bond that isn't possible, like I could somehow be happy again, but also the searing pain of what it felt like to lose Imogen; to feel like such a failure that I couldn't protect my mate and child. I allow the emotions to wash over me as I say, "Is there a way for someone to replicate, or manufacture, a mate bond? The feelings of finding your mate?"

I can tell she's intrigued because one of her eyebrows rises slightly while I speak.

"No, Alpha. While witches and other beings can do much with their powers, the mate bond is a sacred bond given to us by the Moon Goddess herself. I have never heard of such a thing." I think she's done talking when she continues, "But . . . it is exceptionally rare. I've only heard of it happening twice in all of werewolf history," she says as she wrings her hands together, lost in thought.

"Elder Meredith, can you please tell me what you're thinking?" I was trying not to lose my patience, but that rope was fraying fast.

"Let's sit," she says, taking my hand and leading me to the sofa in the living room. I feel like a small boy in trouble and waiting to learn his punishment with her leading me this way, but I'm too focused on what it is she could have to say.

She sits first and pats the seat for me to join her. I do as she requests, waiting for her to speak. When she doesn't begin, I look over to find her still lost in thought.

"What's going on?" I finally ask as my patience wears thin.

"Alpha, I believe you've been given a second chance. Because we are immortal, when we pass, our souls usually join the Goddess until the pair is ready to find each other in the next life cycle. There have been a few occasions where a mate's soul was returned to the same life cycle to live another life with their mate. We do not know why this happens or what the Goddess uses to determine when and why someone should get their mate back. It looks like the Goddess favors you, young man. You better not take this blessing for granted."

"What?"

Of all the things she could have said, I was not expecting this. Could it be true? Am I being given a second chance? But why? What have I done to earn the Goddess's blessing? "How can this be? Are you truly saying that Imogen's soul is the same soul now residing in that young woman?"

She nods with a small smile on her face when she says, "I didn't get to meet your Imogen, and I haven't met this young woman, but your wolf knows your mate's soul. If he identified her as your mate, then you should trust him."

Men, join the Elder and me in the living room; we have news that I was not expecting.

They come pouring into the room as if they were waiting just outside the threshold. Judging by the looks on the twins' faces, that's exactly what they were doing.

Crossing my arms across my chest, I say, "You already heard everything, didn't you?" Benny is the only one who has the decency to look almost abashed by being caught snooping.

"She's really your mate, isn't she? How can this be?" Andrei speaks up. He's also been a little off-kilter since that little woman threw my world into disarray.

Mate. My wolf seems to release the tension of not understanding what is happening. I can feel the support radiating from my men, and I send a silent thanks to the Goddess not only for giving me another chance with my mate but for these men who have become my family.

"Yes, she is my mate, and therefore, your Luna." As the words leave my mouth, I realize I have more questions.

"Meredith, has a reincarnated mate ever been human? I didn't sense a wolf or other supernatural energy from her."

She doesn't immediately respond, tapping her chin in thought, "No, I don't believe so, but the Goddess does all with a purpose. What is meant to be will be."

Nodding to myself, my thoughts wandered again to the look on her face as I left her standing there alone and confused. "Thank you, Elder Meredith. You may stay and spend time with your sister for as long as you like. I'll have her make up a spare room for you."

"Thank you, Alpha; that sounds wonderful. I may extend my stay a while to also meet our new Luna." My only reply is a small nod as I walk towards my office.

Benny, you're with me. He'll catch you all up afterwards.

Plopping into my chair, I rub my hands all over my face, and through my hair, trying to absorb the colossal information overload I'm enduring while simultaneously trying to think ahead.

Benny comes through the door moments later looking plenty disheveled himself, "I can't believe this is happening. Are you sure you don't want to know her name now?" he asks as he pulls the press pass from his pocket, dangling it in front of me like a dog with a bone.

"Yes, I'm sure. The first time I hear her name, I want to hear it from her voice. I haven't even heard her speak. I can't believe she's so young. Which school is she attending?" He turns over the press pass and shows me the Mogadore State Warriors logo on the back. "I'll need to call and let the professor know something came up and we can make up the interview after our first game."

Benny is just smiling and nodding now, until his face falls, "Uh, Boss . . . I hate to be the one who bursts your bubble, but what are you going to do about India and the King?"

SONOFABITCH! How could I forget about the mess that the rest of my life is? "For now, we do nothing. I don't want India or my father to know anything about her until I know everything, and she accepts the bond if this is really happening."

I don't know what's going to happen with her being a human. None of our pack members have been fated to a human but we know it can happen. The bond isn't as strong for humans and rejecting it doesn't nearly kill them as it does with us.

"Tomorrow I'll make the calls to make this right and meet the new life of my mate."